Topcon Positioning Systems announces the release of the MS Series of high-precision robotic total stations in North and South America.The series includes the MS05AX with the industry’s highest 0.5” angle accuracy and the MS1AX for 1” angle accuracy.

“The MS ‘measuring station’ opens a new era in ultra-precision measurements,” said Denny Welch, senior vice president of the TPS Survey Business Unit. “The MS05AX provides ultra-precision while the MS1AX provides long-range and versatility."

The series can be used for large-scale 3D measurement applications and also has a 2D monitoring function for real-time two-dimensional projects.

“The MS series ensures enhanced precision and productivity in a wide-range of applications,” Welch said. “Department of Transportations (DOTS), high-end civil engineering firms, high-accuracy land surveying firms, universities, anyone with monitoring, tunneling and 3D industrial measurement needs will realize benefits from the MS Series.”

The series can be used with a prism, reflective sheets or reflectorless, creating options and efficiencies for even the largest monitoring fields. With a pre-scan search function used to "teach" the instrument where the targets are in the monitoring field, the accuracies and range of the series is “impressive by any standards,” Welch said.

“High speed is one of the key advantages for long distance measurement and tracking,” Welch said.  With the MS series robotics, an operator has up to 1000 m (3,280 ft) auto pointing range and up to a 400 m (1,312 ft) non-prism range.

“This tracking can be achieved with fast turning speed and the incredible accuracy of the series which adds up to make the system ideal for the most precise topographic survey work such as high-precision control establishment or super accurate stakeout or as-built construction tasks,” Welch said.

Topcon also announced that its recently introduced RL-H4C construction laser is available in two versions — one version powered by a NiMH rechargeable battery pack and the other powered with alkaline D-cell batteries. The rechargeable version can also be operated with AC power.

In field tests, the RL-H4C gets more than 100 hours of continuous usage with alkaline batteries and up to 60 hours on a single charge, Topcon said.